Introduction to Psychology
PSY 105.1
ID 01877
Spring 2015
Instructor: Dr. Makhinur Asanovna Mamatova
Office: AUCA Main Building, room 209
Office Phone: 996-312-663309 (ext. 238)
Office Hours: M., W. 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm (by previous appointment)
Email: makhinur@gmail.com
Credits: 6
Language of instruction: English
Course Status: Gen Ed Elective
Class Schedule: M. 1:00 pm (lecture); seminar: W. 1:00 pm (1 st group); W. 2:30 pm (2nd group); W. 4:00 pm
(3rd group)
Course Description:
This course will introduce the student to the field of scientific study of human behavior and mental
processes. It will primarily focus on biological foundations of behavior, sensation and perception,
consciousness, learning, memory, thinking, language, intelligence, motivation and emotion. The course
will also explore basic assumptions of classical theories of personality and models of abnormality.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to understand basic principles of
organization of human behavior and mental processes. The student will better understand the role of
psychological science in everyday life.
Teaching and Learning Style:
The course will be interactive and student-centered. Students will be encouraged to think broadly and
deeply about psychology and life.
Text:
Santrock, John W. (2000). Psychology, 6 th ed. McGraw-Hill Inc.
Resources: AUCA Library; e-course; http://www.all-about-psychology.com/
Course Requirements:
1. Attendance (30 points) is required. To be in class on time is expected. Late students will NOT be
admitted into the class. Please finish up your personal businesses before class begins. Student is expected
to be on class during entire class- time with no early leaving. General medical condition or emergency
case will not interfere with your attendance rate.
2. In-class work (30 points). Students are expected to do home assignment, come to class prepared, and
participate actively in class discussions and other on-class activities.
3. Presentation (35 points): The student is required to prepare one presentation. See Course Themes
below for the list of topics recommended for the presentation. This is your right to perform joint
presentation. Creativity and originality of thought are strongly encouraged. Please see the instructor to
discuss this assignment in detail.
Grading Criteria for Presentation
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Content
Understanding
Criticism
Clarity of statements
Performance
7 points
8 points
8 points
5 points
7 points
35 points
4. Mid-term Exam (35 points): This exam will be held on March 2, 1:00 pm. It will cover the themes
studied before. The exam will be multiple choice and true/false.
5. Final Exam (45 points): The final will be held during final exam period. The exam will be multiple
choices, true/false, fill in the blank. It will cover all themes learned after mid-term exam.
6. E-course: During the first week of the semester the student is required to get registered to on-line
course through AUCA e-course system. The name of the course is Intro to Psychology (Mamatova). And
the password is ip2015
Course Grading Scale:
Attendance
In-class work
Presentation
Mid-term Exam
Final Exam
Total
30 points
30 points
35 points
30 points
45 points
170 points
A 161 – 170 points
A- 151 – 160 points
B+ 140 – 150 points
B 129– 139 points
B- 115 – 128 points
C+ 101 – 114 points
C 87 – 100 points
C- 73 – 86 points
D 60 – 72 points
F below 60
Course Themes
January 19-21 Introduction to syllabus. What is Psychology? Brief historical overview. Major
perspectives in Psychology: Psychodynamic psychology, Learning approach, Existential-humanistic
psychology. What do psychologists do? Research Methods in Psychology.
pp. 3-31 (hereinafter specified pages of the main text Santrock, John W. (2000). Psychology, 6th ed. McGraw-Hill
Inc referred.)
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January 26-28 Biological Foundations and Neuroscience: heredity, natural selection, the human nervous
system, the brain.
pp. 33-63; pp. 65-99
February 2-4 Sensation and Perception. Absolute and Difference Thresholds. Subliminal Perception.
Sensibilisation and Habituation. Vision. Hearing, Skin Senses, Taste and Smell
Presentation: Gestalt Principles of Perception
pp. 101-127
February 9-11 Principles of Social Perception
Presentation 1: Visual illusions
Presentation 2: Audial illusions
pp. 128-147, pp. 552-556, pp. 559-575
February 16-18 Consciousness. Altered States of Consciousness. Sleeping and Dreaming.
pp. 149 – 183
Presentation 1: Biochemical substances and altered states of consciousness
Presentation 2: Hypnosis
February 25 Learning. Reflex. Classical Pavlovian Conditioning. John Watson’s Little Albert Experiment.
Generalization of a Conditioned Reflex. Operant Conditioning. Skinner’s Theory of Reinforcement.
Observational Learning (Modeling)
pp. 185-205
Presentation 1: Operant conditioning. Skinner’s Box. The schedule of reinforcement.
Presentation 2: Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. The Bobo Doll Experiment.
March 2 Mid-term exam
March 4
Memory. Short-Term Memory. Long-Term Memory. Retrieval and Forgetting.
pp. 207-215; pp. 217- 251
Presentation 1: The problem of eyewitness memory
Presentation 2: Mnemonics: how to improve your memory?
March 11 Thinking and Language. Categories of Thinking. Solving Problems. Decision Making.
Language Structure. Theories of Language.
pp. 253-283
Presentation 1: Theories of language acquisition: Noam Chomsky’s theory of language. Lev Vygotsky’s
theory of language development.
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Presentation 2: Can animals use language to express thought?
March 25 Intelligence. IQ tests. The Theory of Multiple Intelligence. Social Intelligence. Mental
Retardation. Giftedness. Creativity.
pp. 285- 317
Presentation 1: Social/Emotional Intelligence
Presentation 2: Giftedness and Creativity
March 30; April 1 Motivation. Instincts, need and drives. Abraham Maslow’s Theory of Motivation.
Sexuality. Psychosexual Dysfunctions.
pp. 367- 392
Presentation: Abraham Maslow’s Theory of Motivation.
April 6-8 Emotion: Biological, Cognitive, and Socio-Cultural Dimension.
pp. 393 - 409
Presentation 1: Cognitive theories of emotion
Presentation 2: Cultural aspects of emotion
April 13-15 Personality. Psychodynamic Perspective. Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective. ExistentialHumanistic Perspective
pp. 411-445
Presentation 1: Biological aspects of personality.
Presentation 2: Cognitive view on personality
April 20-22 Personality. Psychodynamic Perspective. Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective. ExistentialHumanistic Perspective (cont.)
pp. 447-513
Presentation 1: Social aspects of personality
April 27-29
Abnormal Development and Therapies
Presentation: Psychotherapy
May 4 - 6 Course Review
Presentation: Professional ethics of psychologists. Ethical issues in psychological research.
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